Governance & Policies
What is the term for money that citizens must pay to the government to fund public services like healthcare, schools, and roads?
Tax (or taxation).
What does the famous abbreviation "AI" stand for?
Artificial Intelligence.
When food, gas, and rent keep getting more expensive every year, what economic word describes this general rise in prices?
Inflation.
What term describes a society containing many cultural groups living together?
Multicultural society (or cultural diversity).
Trivia: The term "Gen Z" generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012. What term describes people born between 1981 and 1996?
Millennials
In Iceland, the government introduced a 4-day workweek trial with no pay cuts, and 86% of workers now have shorter hours! What is the official English term for the balance between work obligations and personal life?
Work-life balance.
When you try to log into an account and the website asks you to click on all photos containing a "traffic light" or "crosswalk," what security test are you taking?
CAPTCHA test.
Companies like IKEA make buyers assemble their own furniture at home. What economic benefit allows flat-pack companies to sell furniture much cheaper than pre-built furniture stores?
Lower shipping/storage costs (or cheaper labor costs passed to consumers).
The phrase "FOMO" was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013. What does the acronym FOMO stand for?
Fear Of Missing Out.
What is the term for the unfair treatment of people based on their age, gender, race, or background?
Discrimination (or prejudice).
What do we call non-profit organizations that work to improve society independently of the government (such as Oxfam, UNICEF, or Red Cross)?
NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) or charities.
Fake videos made by AI that use a real person’s face and voice to make them say things they never said are called what?
Deepfakes.
During 1929, over 25% of the US workforce lost their jobs simultaneously. What is the term for a severe, multi-year drop in economic activity across a country?
Economic depression (or severe recession).
What type of fashion produces over 92 million tons of textile waste globally every year because clothes are designed to be cheap and thrown away quickly?
Fast Fashion
What do sociologists call the gap in understanding, attitudes, and cultural values between young people and their parents or grandparents?
The generation gap.
What is the term for official money given by a government to subsidize low-income citizens or struggling public services?
A government subsidy (or social welfare grant).
Every minute, over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube globally. What term describes the digital breadcrumbs (history, likes, cookies) left behind whenever you surf the internet?
Digital footprint.
What 2-word phrase describes this loss of skilled professionals?
Brain drain.
South Korea's government spent billions promoting K-pop and K-dramas globally to boost its international image. What type of "power" is this?
Soft Power.
What term describes a young person's ability to move up the socio-economic ladder to achieve a better lifestyle than their parents?
Upward social mobility.
The Gini Coefficient is a statistical index measured from 0 to 1 used by governments worldwide. What specific societal issue does a high Gini Coefficient number represent?
Income inequality (or wealth disparity / the gap between rich and poor).
What is the term for taking a intentional break from all screens, social media, and electronic devices for a few days to reduce mental stress?
A digital detox.
Which country boasts the world's highest local minimum wage?
Luxembourg (~HKD$23-27,000/month)
When a brand pays a movie studio to have their character drink a specific brand of soda or drive a specific brand of car visibly on screen, what marketing technique is being used?
Product placement.
What is the term for a family unit consisting of only parents and their children living together in one household (without grandparents or relatives)?
A nuclear family.